Stretchable baby garment

ABSTRACT

A stretchable baby garment includes a garment body and collar with a V-shaped gap at the upper back and a triangular gusset and neck band attached across the V-shaped gap. The garment body and collar are made of a first fabric. The gusset and neck band are made of a second fabric more elastic than the first fabric. The fabric and neck band stretch to make the sleeves easier to put on baby arms without forcing the baby to bend his or her elbows.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 63/198,846, filed Nov. 17, 2020, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to baby garments and, more particularly,to stretchable garments for easier dressing.

Dressing a baby has always been a challenge for parents. All babyclothing, especially clothing for winter, is difficult to put on becausemost baby clothing does not stretch enough to move with the baby'srandom movements. Babies often squirm and get fussy while being dressed.Babies frequently get upset and even start to cry while clothing isbeing put on them. This causes parents to get very frustrated whilegetting a baby dressed.

The only stretchy baby clothing currently available on the market is toothin and cannot be worn in colder temperatures.

As can be seen, there is a need for a stretchable baby garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides baby clothing with a stretchable materialdown the center of the garment, such that the garment is stretchable andmoves with the baby. The invention eases the hassle of putting thebaby's arms in clothing, making dressing easier on the parents andcausing less stress on the baby.

In one aspect of the present invention, a stretchable baby garment isprovided, comprising: a garment body and collar of a first fabric havinga V-shaped gap at an upper back thereof; and a triangular gusset andneck band of a second fabric more elastic than the first fabric coupledto the garment body and the collar across the V-shaped gap.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a stretchable baby garmentaccording to an embodiment of the present invention, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof, shown in an open mode withthe gusset in an unstretched condition;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view thereof, showing the gusset in astretched condition;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view thereof, shown in an open mode with thegusset in an unstretched condition;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view thereof, showing the gusset in astretched condition;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line 7-7 of FIG.4, showing the gusset in an unstretched condition;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line 8-8 of FIG.6, showing the gusset in a stretched condition;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view thereof, shown in a closed position;and

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view thereof, shown in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a stretchable babygarment with a generally “V”-shaped elastic fabric panel along the backof the garment, with an elastic band along the neck region of theelastic fabric panel. The stretchable fabric and band expand to make thesleeves easier to put on baby arms without forcing the baby to bend hisor her elbows.

In some embodiments, a matching clothing flap may be added to cover thestretchable fabric. The flap may comprise the original clothing materialand fasteners and may be used to hide the stretchable material.

The materials of manufacture are not particularly limited. Thestretchable fabric may be any suitable elastic fabric. The stretchableband may be any suitable elastic material. The fasteners may be, forexample, snaps or hook-and-loop fasteners.

The stretchable baby garment may be manufactured with the elastic paneland band of a fabric more elastic than that of the remaining garment.Alternatively, an existing baby garment may be retrofitted to have anelastic panel and band according to the following method. A “V” may becut down the back of baby clothing, with the top of the “V” cutout atthe neck of the garment. A slightly larger piece of stretchable fabricmay be cut into the same “V” shape. The “V”-shaped stretchable fabricmay be added where the V was cut out of the garment, sewn into the backof clothing. Along the top/neck area of the “V” shape, a stretchableband may be sewn for additional support. A cover may be made from extrafabric of the original clothing to cover the exposed stretchable fabricand band. The cover may be sewn to one edge of the “V” shape, with oneor more fasteners on the other side of the “V”.

In some embodiments, the baby garment may also have fasteners along thefront middle section of the baby garment selected from the groupconsisting of: a zipper, snap fasteners, and buttons.

The inventive garment may be used according to the following method. Theuser may unfasten the fastener(s) on the front of the garment, thenunfasten the back fasteners to reveal the stretchable back panel. Theuser may then put the baby into the clothing, stretching the back panelas necessary to ease the baby's arms into the sleeves. After the baby isclothed, the user may close the fastener(s) on the front of the garment,then fasten the flap of clothing material, covering the stretchable backpanel and secure it using the fasteners.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 10, a baby garment 10 according to anembodiment of the present invention includes a garment body 11 with acollar 16 and a v-shaped gap at the upper back of the garment 10 and astretchable triangular gusset 18 with a stretchable neck band 20spanning the v-shaped gap. The gusset 18 is coupled to the garment body11, such as by stitching a first edge of the gusset 18 to a first edgeof the garment body 11 and a second edge of the gusset 18 to a secondedge of the garment body 11. A triangular flap 12 covering the gusset 18extends from the garment body 11 at one edge and fastens to the garmentbody 11 at an opposite corner of the flap 12 with a snap 14. The flap 12may be stitched 22 between an edge of the garment body and an edge ofthe gusset 18 as shown in FIGS. 7-8. As shown in FIG. 2, a male element14A of the snap 14 may be affixed to the garment body 11 at the collar16 adjacent to the gusset 18, while a female element 14B of the snap 14,i.e., the mating portion, may be affixed to a corresponding corner ofthe flap 12. In order to dress or undress a baby, the garment may bepulled at one or more points such that the stretched gusset 18A and thestretched band 20A provide ample room in which to move the baby's body,as shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 8. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the frontpanel of the garment has a left side portion and a right side portionforming a closable gap therebetween and also has fasteners, such as azipper 15 and snap 14, operative to couple the left and right sideportions. When the zipper 15 and snap 14 are in an open condition andthe garment is not in use, the gusset 18 and band 20 may be visible fromthe garment front.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A stretchable baby garment comprising: a. agarment body and collar of a first fabric having a V-shaped gap at anupper back thereof; and b. a triangular gusset and neck band of a secondfabric more elastic than the first fabric coupled to the garment bodyand the collar across the V-shaped gap.
 2. The stretchable baby garmentof claim 1, wherein the garment body further comprises a front panelwith a left side portion, a right side portion, and a closable gaptherebetween and fasteners operative to couple the left side portionwith the right side portion, thereby closing the closable gap.
 3. Thestretchable baby garment of claim 1, further comprising a triangularflap of the first fabric stitched to a first edge of the V-shaped gap,with a fastener at an opposite corner thereof, said fastener having amating portion affixed to the collar adjacent to the neck band.
 4. Thestretchable baby garment of claim 3, wherein the fastener is a snap or ahook-and-loop fastener.